Kate's Heart Quickened
by Laura Ann Yates
Summary: My take on the scene from 4x14 'The Blue Butterfly' where they're at the penny baker club looking for the secret safe. SPOILERS: 4x14.


**SPOILERS FOR 4x14: The Blue Butterfly**

* * *

"…Kate's heart quickened." Castle read from the diary in his hands.

The mention of her name causes Beckett to snap her head up, shock evident on her face. "Are you imagining the PI as you and the gangster's moll as me?" she asks him, stalking towards the writer.

He opens and closes his mouth a few times, unsure whether or not to tell her the truth. "I… Well, I might be. Why is that a problem?" He goes for facing the issue head on.

"Not particularly, no, but don't you find it a little weird? I mean, these two were having an affair with each other." As the words leave her mouth, images of her and Castle form in her mind; he is holding her in a tight embrace, whispering sweet nothings in to her. It's 1947 and they're both stood backstage at the penny baker club, right above where they stand now; she is dressed in a deep red dress that clings to her every curve, the blue butterfly weighing around her neck. He is dressed smartly in his finest suit, a fedora sat proudly on his head, disguising his identity slightly.

The combination of her name being called and Castle clicking his fingers in front of her face, brings her back to the present day, her cheeks reddening as she processes the images still running through her mind. "Were you imagining the PI as me and the gangster's moll as you?" He imitates her words.

Both parties get a sense of déjà vu as she begins to open and close her mouth, stumbling over her words. "Erm… I. No, I just… I'm trying to figure out where this secret safe is."

"Sure." He glances at her, watching as her cheeks become redder and redder.

"Well, what do you want me to say? That I was imagining you gathering me up in your arms, holding me in a tight, loving embrace, as you whispered sweet nothings to me and gave me passionate kisses." With every word, she stalks close and closer to him, finally stopping well inside his personal bubble.

Both the writer and the detective are left at a loss for words as they let the imagery sink in; so close, yet so far. "Castle." She breathes. "Rick." The rare use of his first name, making the moment much more intimate than before. He reaches out to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her into the tight embrace she had imagined only moments before; reality so much better than fantasy.

She reaches her arms up and circles them around his neck, her fingers burying themselves in his hair. She uses her grip to bring his head closer to hers, their lips connecting in a kiss that out-shines anything she could ever imagine; anything she has every experienced before. Beckett tightens her grip as she feels Castle's tongue start to caress her lips, begging for entry. The action brings her crashing back to reality and once she regains control, she places her hands on his chest and gently pushes him away from her. "Castle, stop." She begins. "However much I am enjoying this, we have stop and look for this secret safe, before anyone comes looking for us."

"I know." He replies, resting their foreheads together. "How about when this case is over, I buy you dinner?"

"I'd like that. Now, let's get to work." She smiles at him; a genuine smile he is seeing more and more often.

"Yes ma'am." He salutes her, causing a giggle to escape her now swollen lips.

* * *

"So the case is over." Castle states as he watches Beckett pack away the last of the images on the whiteboard.

"Yes it is." She agrees, not paying full attention to him, as she grabs the eraser and begins to wipe away her writing, ready to start the next case. "Remy's?" she asks him, as she slips in her coat and shuts down her computer.

"Actually, I was thinking somewhere a little more…" He pauses, trying to think of the perfect word to describe the restaurant he has in mind. "Intimate."

"Castle." She sighs. "All I want is some good food before I go home and have a nice bubble bath."

"Ok then, how about this, we go back to mine, you can have a bubble bath in my _Jacuzzi _bath while make us a nice home cooked meal." He compromises.

"Lead the way." She smiles and takes his crooked elbow, twirling a loose piece of hair around her finger as he leads her towards the elevator.

After stopping at her apartment to retrieve a change of clothes, the two arrive at his loft. They slip out of their shoes and jackets, putting them in the closet before he shoves her in the direction of his bedroom and en suite while he heads to the kitchen to start on their dinner.

Half an hour later she steps back into the living dressed in yoga pants and an old t-shirt, her wet hair dripping down her back. She pads over to the kitchen and sneaks up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist as he stands that the stove stirring the sauce for their pasta dinner. "Go sit at the table, it's almost ready." He tells her, moving away from the cooker to drain the pasta.

"What is this?" she asks him after swallowing her first mouthful, moaning around the food.

"Pasta with pesto, chicken, and grilled tomatoes." He tells her, taking another mouthful himself.

"It's delicious." She smiles up at him. "Should we talk about this?"

"About what?" He knows what; he just doesn't think that talking will do them any good.

"About us; about what happened at the penny baker club and just now in the kitchen?" He can sense her nerves and knows if he doesn't tread carefully she will put her walls back up and run.

"Ok. Well, are you my girlfriend now?" He asks tentatively.

"I don't know. Would you like me to be?"

"I would." The look on his face leaves her breathless, like it has the hundreds of times before.

"I guess its official then." She says, her smile increasing tenfold.

"I guess it is."

* * *

**The dish "Pasta with pesto, chicken, and grilled tomatoes." mentioned here is the only dish I can actually cook from scratch and it is really good. I just thought I'd let you know...**


End file.
